Yellow
by Annette Sommer
Summary: Arthur ask a question about love, and Merlin doesn't know how to reply.  Arthur and Merlin Slash


_Look at the stars,_

_Look how they shine for you,_

_And everything you do,_

_Yeah, they were all yellow_

_-Coldplay_

* * *

The dark haired youth looked away from the blond, refusing to acknowledge his question. He couldn't, no he wouldn't even entertain such a notion. It was not right, regardless of their intertwining destines. A prince and a servant, a man and a man, it was nothing but crazy.

"Why won't you look at me?" Arthur questioned him, rising from where he sat on his bed. The prince had been readying himself for the night when Merlin had dropped by to deliver medicine from Gaius.

Merlin hadn't expected such a question out of the blue. He hadn't mentally prepared himself for the prince to ask him it. He'd only come to drop off the medicine, not for this of all things.  
Raising his eyes to the prince's, Merlin inhaled deeply, "Sorry sire. I remembered that Gaius needed my help with something so I'll just-"

"Quit your babbling, will you?" Arthur impatiently demanded as he neared the wizard, "Why didn't you answer me?"

Well Merlin could give him a list of reasons for why he hadn't answered, but they would only give away what he wanted to hide even more than his magic. If he answered the prince's question, he might slip and tell him everything he should not.

"Are you deaf, Merlin?"

"No."

Annoyance rising, the prince closed remaining distance between them, "Then answer me. It's a simple question, even for you," the blond frowned deeply, as if it was a bother to repeat the question at all, "Tell me, Merlin, have you ever actually loved a person?"

"Sure, my mum."

The other smacked him lightly on the back of the head, "That's not what I meant you idiot! I mean," the prince paused as he made an uncharacteristically sincere face, "I mean, have you ever met someone you couldn't help but care about. You know, someone who you wish you could forget about, but you just can't. Everything about them riles the hell out of you, yet it's alright. Like if they were to drive you completely crazy, entirely mad, it'd be alright if they were crazy-mad with you."

Apparently the prince had put a lot of thought into the matter, because Arthur didn't just come up with such lengthy conclusions on the spot. The other needed Merlin's opinion, he wanted to know if such a love was possible, so Merlin answered him truthfully.

"Yes," Merlin looked away from the other again, unable to hold his gaze, "I've met someone like that."

Arthur's expression could have been a variety of things. Maybe he'd been happy that someone else felt such a strong emotion, or maybe he'd caught the tone of Merlin's confession and been baffled. There was a chance he could have heard the desperation, Merlin's need to say much more than he allowed. Whatever the visage, Merlin would never know it.

"Ah," Arthur replied, taking a step away from Merlin and towards his bed, "I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. I was afraid I was really losing it."

"Heh," Merlin muttered, turning towards the door before his legs moved in the direction they desired, "I assure you m'lord, you're perfectly sane. I'm sure Gwen is feeling exactly the same as you are."

Without waiting for a reply, Merlin swiftly exited the room, leaving behind Arthur and all thoughts of love. What had he really thought would happen? Of course Arthur didn't feel that, he was a man. He was meant for Gwen, and Merlin was meant to accept that. And he would, he would…

As soon as his damned heart would let him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The prince let out a sardonic laugh as he plopped down on his bed. He'd been so close this time, so close to getting the other to admit it.

"Gwen?" Arthur said to himself, turning his head towards the window and the star filled sky. The night's stars were unusually bright, as if they were urging him on. Their shine sang not to quit, not to quit until he had his own light in his grasp.

Reaching a hand out towards the window as if he could grab what he chased, Arthur murmured one last thought, "Merlin you're such an idiot, " before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.


End file.
